Geranium plant named ‘FN Mid-Salmon’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘FN Mid-Salmon’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; freely flowering habit; pink and purple bi-colored flowers; and no requirement for vernalization.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Pelargonium×domesticum cultivar FN Mid-Salmon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geraniumplant, commercially known as Regal Geranium, botanically known asPelargonium×domesticum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘FNMid-Salmon’.

The new Regal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Foxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program is to develop new Regal Geraniumcultivars with compact growth habit, numerous flowers, and interestingflower and foliage colors that do not require vernalization forflowering.

The new Regal Geranium originated from a self-pollination made by theInventor in May, 1997 of a proprietary Pelargonium×domesticum selectionidentified as RPMOA-5, not patented. The cultivar FN Mid-Salmon wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within theprogeny from this self-pollination in a controlled environment inFoxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atFoxley, Norfolk, United Kingdom, since January, 1998 has shown that theunique features of this new Regal Geranium are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘FN Mid-Salmon’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘FN Mid-Salmon’ as a new and distinct RegalGeranium cultivar:

1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded growth habit.

2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Pink and purple bi-colored flowers.

5. No requirement for vernalization.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium are more compact than plants of theselection RPMOA-5.

2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium flower earlier than plants of theselection RPMOA-5.

The new Regal Geranium can be compared to the cultivar, Mikado, notpatented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Foxley,Norfolk, United Kingdom, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed fromplants of the cultivar Mikado in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium were more compact than plants of thecultivar Mikado.

2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium were more freely branching thanplants of the cultivar Mikado.

3. Plants of the new Regal Geranium flowered earlier than plants of thecultivar Mikado.

4. Plants of the new Regal Geranium did not require vernalization forflowering whereas plants of the cultivar Mikado required vernalizationfor flowering.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Regal Geranium.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘FN Mid-Salmon’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view ofthe lower surface of a typical open flower, a typical flowering umbel,typical flower buds, the upper surface of a typical leaf, and the lowersurface of a typical leaf.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar FN Mid-Salmon has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercial practice in apolycarbonate-covered greenhouse during the winter and spring with daytemperatures ranging from 55 to 75° F., night temperatures ranging from50 to 65° F. and light levels ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 foot-candles.Plants used for the photographs and description were about 22 weeks fromplanting rooted cuttings and were grown in gallon containers. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Pelargonium×domesticum cultivar FN Mid-Salmon.

Parentage: Self-pollination of a proprietary Pelargonium×domesticumselection identified as RPMOA-5, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 7 days at 70° F.

Time to develop roots.—About 21 days at 70° F.

Root description.—Fine, freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading; mounded growthhabit. Appropriate for gallon containers.

Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching with about 18lateral branches per plant; dense and full plant habit. Pinching istypically not required.

Plant height (to top of foliage).—About 26 cm.

Plant height (to top of flowering umbels).—About 32 cm.

Plant width.—About 48 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internodelength: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Before flowering, alternate; afterflowering, opposite, simple. Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 9 cm.Shape: Roughly hemispherical, three-lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.Margin: Serrate; undulate. Venation: Palmate. Texture, upper surface:Slightly pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Glabrous. Color: Youngfoliage, upper surface: 146A. Young foliage, lower surface: 146C. Maturefoliage, upper surface: 146A. Mature foliage, lower surface: 147B.Venation, upper surface: 146B. Venation, lower surface: 147C. Petiole:Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.

Flower description:

Flower arrangement and type.—Single rounded flowers arranged inhemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayedabove and beyond the foliage. At full flowering, usually about 55 openand developing umbels per plant. Umbels persistent. Flowers notfragrant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions; vernalizationis not required for flowering. In the garden, flowering is continuousfrom spring until fall. Plants start flowering about 20 weeks afterplanting.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 5 to 7 days on the plant.

Umbels/flowers.—Height: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 9 cm. Number offlowers per umbel: About five or six. Flower diameter: About 5.5 cm.Flower depth (height): About 3.3 cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Elongatedovoid. Color: 50D.

Petals.—Quantity: About five per flower arranged in a single whorl.Length, upper two petals: About 4.3 cm. Length, lower three petals:About 3.8 cm. Width, upper two petals: About 3 cm. Width, lower threepetals: About 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; velvety.Color: When opening, upper surface: Center, 59A; surrounded by 67Dextending to the margin. When opening, lower surface: 69B. Fully opened,upper surface: Center, 59A; surrounded by 60B; surrounded by 67Dextending to the margin; at base, 155D. Fully opened, lower surface:69A; towards base, 64B; at base, 155D.

Sepals.—Quantity: Five per flower arranged in a single whorl. Length,upper and lower sepals: About 2 cm. Width, upper two sepals: About 7 mm.Width, lower three sepals: About 4 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate.Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:Glabrous. Color, upper surface: 146B. Color, lower surface: 146A.

Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:About 45° from lateral branch. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightlypubescent. Color: 144B.

Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1mm. Angle: About 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightlypubescent. Color: 144B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity: Six per flower. Anthershape: Elongated oblong. Anther size: About 1 mm by 3 mm. Anther color:54A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 35A. Gynoecium: Pistilquantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Stigma shape:Five-parted, star-shaped. Stigma color: 71A. Style length: About 1.8 cm.Style color: 71C. Ovary color: 144B.

Seed/fruit.—None observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toRegal Geraniums has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named‘FN Mid-Salmon’, as herein illustrated and described.